Fly over Barcelona and the roofline tells you exactly where you are. Block after block of flat terracotta rooftops stretch from the Gothic Quarter to the Eixample, a color as much a part of the city’s identity as Gaudí’s spires. They define the skyline—but they also absorb solar heat, increasing cooling demand and contributing to the urban heat island effect during increasingly hot Mediterranean summers. 

Barcelona faced a unique challenge: how do you make traditional terracotta roofs cooler without changing the city’s iconic appearance? Rather than replacing them with white reflective coatings, the City of Barcelona is partnering with Vibrantz Technologies to test a solution that preserves the same familiar color while reflecting more of the sun’s heat. 

Launched in June 2026, the pilot project is evaluating whether infrared-reflective pigments can reduce heat absorption, lower cooling demand and improve building performance without altering the distinctive terracotta color that has defined Barcelona’s rooftops for generations.  

A collaborative approach to urban cooling

The initiative brings together the City of Barcelona, Vibrantz Technologies and Spanish coatings manufacturer Pinturas Montó to explore how innovative coating technologies can help cities adapt to rising temperatures while preserving their architectural heritage.

As Mediterranean cities experience longer, hotter summers, municipalities are searching for practical ways to improve energy efficiency without compromising the historic character of their buildings. Rather than replacing traditional terracotta roofs with bright white reflective coatings, this project explores whether advanced pigment technology can deliver meaningful thermal benefits while maintaining the city’s iconic appearance.

A collaborative approach to urban cooling

Vibrantz Cool Colors technology is designed to reflect more of the sun’s near-infrared energy—the portion responsible for much of the heat buildup—while maintaining the same visible color. The result is a roof that looks the same but stays significantly cooler. 

For this project, Vibrantz developed a formulation matched to RAL 8004, Barcelona’s traditional terracotta shade. National coatings manufacturer Pinturas Montó produced two water-based acrylic coatings: one using conventional pigments and one using Vibrantz Cool Colors pigments.  

To the eye, both coatings look the same. Their thermal performance tells a different story.

Bringing the technology into the real world

After laboratory testing confirmed both color accuracy and coating performance, the project moved into two complementary field trials designed to validate the technology under real operating conditions. 
 
At Institut-Escola Tres Fonts, a public school in Barcelona’s Les Corts district, crews coated the roof in three sections: a white reflective coating as the industry benchmark, conventional terracotta as the control, and Vibrantz Cool Colors terracotta. 

At the same time, Vibrantz repainted the roofs and exterior walls of two garden sheds on the roof of its Barcelona facility. One shed was coated entirely with conventional terracotta, while the other received the Cool Colors terracotta coating, creating a controlled side-by-side comparison under identical environmental conditions. 

Sensors installed continuously monitor roof and wall surface temperatures, indoor temperatures and energy consumption, creating a comprehensive, real-time picture of coating performance throughout the summer.  

Halfway through the testing period for the two garden sheds, the early results are promising: 

• 18% average reduction in cooling energy consumption 
• Roof surfaces 3-5°C cooler 
• Wall surfaces 2-3°C cooler

Both studies will continue through the end of October, with final performance data expected in early November. 

Preserving the past. Cooling the future. 

The Barcelona pilot demonstrates that improving energy efficiency doesn’t have to come at the expense of architectural identity. By combining infrared-reflective pigment technology with a color precisely matched to the city’s traditional terracotta rooftops, the project is exploring how historic buildings can remain visually authentic while helping reduce heat absorption and cooling demand. 

While this study focuses on Barcelona’s iconic terracotta roofs, the potential extends far beyond a single city or color. Vibrantz Cool Colors technology is available across a broad palette for roofing, façades and other exterior building applications, enabling architects, coating manufacturers and building owners to improve thermal performance without compromising design. 

To help quantify these benefits, the Vibrantz Cool Colors AC Savings Calculator (developed in collaboration with DEKRA) estimates potential cooling energy, cost and CO₂ savings based on a building’s location, construction and coating color. As the tool continues to expand into additional climate zones, it will also be integrated with Innovatint®, Vibrantz’s tinting systems software, allowing paint retailers to estimate potential energy savings during the color selection process. 

Barcelona’s terracotta skyline has defined the city for centuries. Projects like this demonstrate that preserving that identity and preparing for a warmer future do not have to be competing goals. By combining innovative pigment technology with thoughtful design, cities can reduce heat, improve energy efficiency and continue celebrating the architecture that makes them unique. 

Learn more about Vibrantz Cool Colors technology, explore the AC Savings Calculator or contact our team to discover how infrared-reflective pigments can support your next project. 

Patricia Perez

Product Manager, Color Solutions

Patricia Perez

Product Manager, Color Solutions

Patricia Pérez has over 26 years of technical and product management experience in pigments. She started her career at Colores Hispania as a pigment application technician in plastics and coatings. After gaining experience in paint technology, she served as the corrosion inhibitor product manager at Ferro and has been a product manager at Vibrantz since 2023. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in paint technology from the University of Barcelona.